Rip Van Wolverines - The Long Dark Sleep is Over

This is weird. I just woke up and feel like I've been having a Rip Van Winkle kind of Long Dark Sleep - I understand that it's 2015 and I've been deep in football dreams and nightmares for nearly nine years. The last thing I recall was Ohio State and Michigan being ranked #1 and #2 and about to challenge each other head-on for that top spot. Lloyd Carr had his team ready but Bo insisted on giving the Wolverines a special motivational speech. It was electric. I hadn't been so excited and confident for a game in a long time. And then, I don't know what happened, but my Michigan memory disappeared into a strange world where things happened in Ann Arbor that just don't occur in any reality I ever experienced at the university. I've heard from others that had a similar sleepy loss of time and place and memory. Maybe there was something in the air, like Dorothy in the poppy fields of Oz or contrails from aircraft whose owners, likely from East Lansing or Columbus, had nefarious plans for the Maize and Blue faithful. We'll never know. Bo's lifting up the team one minute. Jim Harbaugh's our coach the next. And there's the Dream Time in between.

I don't know what you remember from your dream sleep, but some key points from mine went something along these lines:

• Before that 2006 game, Bo Schembechler left this world. This couldn't have been real because he's immortal to us. He's just off somewhere, getting served Big Macs by Elvis, awaiting his triumphant return, the Once and Future Coach.
• Michigan adopted a spread offense and hired a guy named Rich Rodriguez who was from West Virginia and had no affiliation to the university at all. The greater Michigan family was divided and rancorous. To make it worse, the new guy tried to start new traditions. [Gasp] I know this to be impossible. Hire outside the extended Michigan family? Gimmicky spread offense? Dissent in the Michigan ranks. Not in a million years.
• Then President Mary Sue Coleman hired a new Athletic Director, Dave Brandon, a businessman hawker of pizza and coupon mailers whose primary qualifications for the job were being a slick marketing guru, a former Regent and a little known football player for Schembechler. After a slew of uncharacteristic losing seasons [cue the heavenly sounds of Josh Groban's "You Lift Me Up"] he made Rich Rod go away. 
• In no time, Brandon handed the coaching torch to a jovial unknown from SDSU, Brady Hoke. He looked like Fred Flintstone but he knew exactly what to say to seduce the Wolverine family. In dreams, you hear what you want to hear. He had a National Championship ring from the 1997 season of glory.  [Fade out Groban and fade into Pop Evil's infernal "In the Big House"] He understood Michigan was a place of "Tradition!" and didn't rock the boat. After going 11-2 his first season, I almost remember waking up. (This was a false memory - a dream within a dream, if you will.) And then things went a little hallucinogenic. Hoke apologized to MSU about some perceived slight involving a tent stake. Beyonce spoke to us at a half-time show. And Tom Harmon's sacred number was not only being worn, but getting ground into the turf behind the line of scrimmage with remarkable regularity. Tickets were being given away for buying a Coke or using a coupon at Meijer. Long-time attendance records were in danger of falling. The AD was telling fans to find another team via angry late night emails. The Alumni Association offered a membership Groupon.

STOP. I can't even recall this psychedelic break from reality without high anxiety. If it had really happened someone would have stepped in and put an end to it. Right?

Well, it's the ultimate relief to know that all of it was just a weird, horrific nightmare. I'm awake now and aware (fully!) for the first time since I blacked out of Michigan Football on November 17, 2006.

Sure, I'm sad to realize that Bo really is gone. I'm just glad I got to talk to him over beers a couple years before that day. I see Rich Rod winning at Arizona, Dave Brandon leading Santa's Elves at Toys 'R Us, and Brady Hoke enlightening listeners about high energy execution on Sirius radio -- as if nothing bad ever happened here at all.

And this Thursday, when Jim Harbaugh marches onto the field in Utah for his first game at the helm of the Wolverines, a new dream begins for all of us. It'll be a waking dream and will certainly have its share of twists and turns. Ecstatic highs and of course, some rough patches that may occasionally make us nervous about the return of the Long Dark Sleep. We all suffer a Michigan football fan's version of PTSD. But it won't come. 

Part of the Long Dark Sleep was preparing us for this moment and preparing our leader for his time. In this new dream, Bo isn't really gone. He's living on in Jim Harbaugh's head 24/7/365 - a testament to the lessons and wisdom imparted by the old legend to his long-in-coming rightful heir.There will be no excuses, no passing the buck, and above all, no apologies to anyone, especially our rivals in East Lansing and Columbus. Accountability. Execution. Dedication. Work. These words will be defined and upheld in ways none of the coaches of the Long Dark Sleep could realize here. 

So dream on, dear Wolverines, and enjoy the show.  Scene One, Act One on Thursday should be dramatic. And I think Team 136 can pull this one off. I can't begin to bet against Harbaugh in his opener. He may be coaching some of the same men who contributed to years of "Ls", but there's no way on Earth they're the same players.

Let the games begin. GO BLUE! 

The Nightmare on State Street

It's Halloween and Michigan fans, weary of getting their pumpkins smashed for years by AD Dave Brandon, received the trick or treat equivalent of a metric ton of Peanut M&Ms today. The Mr. Burns of the Athletic Campus turned in his resignation to Dr. Mark Schlissel, who then told told a nation of downtrodden Wolverines about it in a press conference that also introduced interim AD James Hackett. Given the slew of public relations gaffes and miscommunications during Brandon's athletic reign, it's up for discussion whether it was a heartfelt resignation for the benefit of the university he loves or an unwilling surrender accepted to save his own face and his golden parachute. I think we can deduce which is more likely. After all, we're Michigan fergodssake!

The scene at 1000 S. State St where blood flowed regularly during

Brandon's tenure, only today reaching the executive suite.

All over the Wolverine football nation there was a deep, collective sigh of relief. The overlord of Michigan's problematic football program was gone, $3M in his pocket and moving "on to other challenges". And with thanks to the John U. Bacon, the Michigan Daily, MGoBlog.com, and the populist revolt of students, alumni, and season ticketholders, it's unlikely that "other challenges" will include a high profile run at the 2018 gubernatorial seat. Imagine those snarky emails fashioned into negative campaign ads. 

Well, Dave, we thank you for all the good times. For the fodder that fueled hours of fascinating sports talk radio, thousands of Twitter and Facebook rants, and some of the best blogging we've seen related to Michigan sports. It may not always have been good news, but it was always riveting. Kind of like driving by an accident scene and not being able to look away. We thank you for firing Rich Rod and hiring Brady Hoke, for ensuring we weren't encumbered with a modern, successful coach so we could excel under a real Michigan Man. We appreciate your creative efforts to keep the most important stat of all intact, the 100K ongoing attendance record. As an alum and former football player for Bo, you cared enough about the university to preserve that precious number over silly things like our national reputation and institutional pride. Every time we have a Coke and a smile, we'll be thinking of you. 

There. That's out of the way. 

I'm not one for long goodbyes, so I'll end it here. Think of us fondly, your Michigan brothers and sisters, as you kick a can down State Street toward your new opportunities. No hard feelings, please. If you love the university as we know you do, I'm sure you'll do the right thing and give that $3M right back to help the children or the student/athletes in some meaningful way.

You may have thought you got the last jab in by ruining everyone's Big House "white out" in your honor tomorrow, but I think I can speak for everyone who fought for your "resignation" and give you our final words on the subject:

Thanks for all your help. We really appreciated all your input! But we'll be fine without you. Have a happy life! Really!

Add one more alumna's voice the swell of discontent with Michigan Football

The Alumni Association posted an article about alumni reactions to the Athletic Department announcement that they will lower 2015 student season ticket prices to $175. It seems that we alumni weren't shy in voicing our opinions about that and other issues plaguing the football program of late. The association was able to break down the comments into four main themes. The alumni thought that: 

• Students were being overcharged
• Regular season ticket prices and the mandatory seat donation are too high for the product received
• The corporatization of football has gone too far
• Weak schedules and seating priorities are a problem

As someone who gave up a pair of season tickets long ago, I can relate to many of their concerns. I relinquished my tickets before the time of seat "donations" and prices that exceeded $60/ticket. I had to work and it was hard to make it to all the games. And not all the games were with quality opponents. Perhaps that pathetic C+ I earned in Econ 201 belies my true understanding of basic economic principles. I got enough out of that class to understand that plenty of people would pay to see a top opponent at any price, but no one would give face value to see a disemboweling of the then weaker teams like Minnesota, Northwestern, and Purdue. Every game like that which I couldn't attend meant I lost money. I finally made the tough decision and didn't renew them. I knew I'd probably never get them back. At the time, thousands stood behind me waiting for my empty seats.

Decades later, I have no regrets. I almost feel like they should change my old Econ grade to at least a B. I can see any game I want with the money I've saved by not buying season tickets myself. I have generous friends who often share their seats or sell them reasonably. It's also easy to find tickets on the secondary market. While the big games can be more expensive, they're still not as much as buying them directly from the university packaged with the other low-interest games. This year, with no real marquee teams at home (including our own), a fan could go to StubHub or to the corner of Stadium and Main before the game and get tickets for a relative pittance. I had free tickets offered to me on more than one occasion and I couldn't summon the interest to even take them. That's the persistent problem Dave Brandon has dealt with all season with thousands just like me.

As for the concerns raised in the Alumni Association article, I agree with most people.

• Students have been overcharged, and worse, treated like unruly children rather than well-educated adults. They've sucked the fun out of going to games. When I was a student, we never missed one, even if it meant sitting knee deep in snow at an OSU game in November. It was a blast. It's not just the availability of HDTV and cold, cheap beer that keeps kids home. It's the POW atmosphere. 
• Prices for regular ticket-holders are too high for the current return on investment. Seat licensing is employed by most major Division 1 schools. It wasn't Dave Brandon's brainchild. He has, however, regularly raised prices for tickets, donation levels, and every item sold in the Big House even though people were getting less for their dollar each year. Michigan fans aren't stupid, unless you consider how long they've put up with it. Everyone has their breaking point and Brandon finally pushed the edge of that envelope this year.
• Corporatization, I agree, is a problem but it isn't just happening in Ann Arbor. It's all about money and less about tradition everywhere. I'm not opposed to some changes in how a Saturday afternoon looks. The demographics of the crowd change and so will some of the "traditions". Flyovers, fireworks, and Beyonce just feel like tricks without a winning team. Hey, look at the shiny stuff up above (not the steaming mess on the field.) I do like that the stadium is loud. I like the echos of screaming fans and pump-up music mixed in with the band. Michigan Stadium has always been too dead. Too polite. Loud is not a bad thing when the opponent is trying focus on a drive. The corporate money grab is, however, driving away the cheering "little people" in favor of donors and corporate sponsors with big cash. Donors don't make much noise. What will they soon realize? The serfdom contributes a lot in smaller amounts every football Saturday, both in money and as the 12th man on the field. Brandon is now experiencing the peasant revolt. Instead of storming the Bastille, they're evacuating it.
• The weak home scheduling is the last straw for most. You can't raise prices across the board while delivering an anemic home slate, then LOSE to some theoretically anemic opponents and not expect the masses to get unruly. These are the tickets people can't unload for any price. Especially when potential buyers have no faith they'll even witness a resounding victory. Michigan has signed some future opponents of interest - UCLA, Oklahoma, Texas. Some of those games are more than 10 years in the future. That's far too distant to entice a fan now considering a pair of season tickets for next year that will likely total more than $100/seat/game plus the donation extortion fee.

The answer seems to be "Fire Brandon. Fire Hoke!". It's the correct answer, but it's a dicey one, too. It means another four years, at least, of painful rebuilding. What if fan patience doesn't survive that? Do we become the school that eats coaches and spits them out in four year cycles until the second coming of Bo? (Who is dead, by the way, and not coming back.) I don't know. I fear it'll be a long time before we're back to the way we remember being. There may be a generation of fans that won't remember how it was. The natives are restless and desperate and out for blood. Even the anointed Jim Harbaugh himself would become a persona non grata if he came here and wasn't embarrassing Dantonio and Meyer within four years. I have no doubt.

And to sum up what this alum truly feels right now? I'm really kind of scared for us.

Can Stephen Ross save Dave Brandon?

I listen to a lot of sports talk radio, especially 97.1 The Ticket in Detroit. Yesterday afternoon, part of the discussion on the Valenti and Foster show was about U-M athletic director Dave Brandon and the swirl of rumors surrounding today's University of Michigan Regents meeting. Among the topics the Regents are reported to be discussing are Dave Brandon and the recent Shane Morris concussion incident. The moment these topics came out, supposition about Brandon even surviving the week started to brew and everyone began debating the possibilities. There's even a rumor that the university has reached out to three potential candidates for the AD position. 

On the show, host Mike Valenti surmised that both Brandon and Hoke would, without a doubt, be gone at the end of the season if not sooner. His co-host Terry Foster was somewhat less confident. The one thing he felt might prevent the university from firing Brandon was his friendly relationship with mega-donor Stephen Ross. Foster felt that it was possible U-M President Mark Schlissel and the Regents would be compelled to maintain Brandon's employment because Ross, in his lifetime, has donated over $300M to the university and continues to be supportive of Brandon in the media.

Well, the more they talked about possibility of Stephen Ross controlling the actions of U-M with his wallet, the more irritated I (by comparison, an impoverished alumna) got. I understand very well what major donors mean to the university and its budget; it can't rely on state funding alone to maintain being the leaders or the best. I also understand that the university has to continually curry their favor to keep the cash train rolling. What I don't believe is that an institution of U-M's stature, led by very talented, intelligent, and ambitious people, will allow a single man wielding a checkbook to tell them how they're going to run their enterprise. I may be naïve in that, but I don't think so. 

Stephen J. Ross is a generous man and I applaud his contributions to the university. If he has a notion that it's made him the Chairman of the Board of U-M, though, he has another thing coming:

• Ross is just one of over 540,000 living Michigan alumni. That's "one of" not "number one among". The other 539,999 or so may not all contribute as much as Ross, but the aggregate of what they do give back is significant. They also make their feelings about university matters known to the administration and to the Alumni Association. From what I can ascertain from social and traditional media, a lot of the feelings alumni share these days are very anti-Brandon. They want a winning football program. And even more so, they want the Michigan name to be respected again, not just a brand sold with a couple Cokes or written over the skies of East Lansing.
• Ross is not the only major donor. The names of other philanthropic men and women grace buildings all over the campus and the medical center. I haven't heard a peep out of the Taubman, Munger, or Frankel families, pro or con, regarding Brandon yet. I doubt we will. No Michigan donor who cares about the university as a whole would cease giving to it just to spite the administration over the firing of an athletic director or coach. And I doubt any of the buildings Ross or the others funded will be razed in retaliation for another multimillionaire losing his job. It's just business. That's what Brandon would tell you if he cut your job at U-M.
• One rich man can't support the entire Michigan Athletic machine on his own. If Ross was the only fan left sitting in the Big House on future football Saturdays, most other varsity sports would suffer or disappear. They get their operating funds from jam-packed games in the Big House and Crisler Center. Fans paying high prices for seats, souvenirs, meals, and drinks, along with TV revenues, are what keep Michigan Athletics going. It's the contribution of "the little people", not just the fortune of a man like Ross. Families and students with season tickets cycle to become the next generation of families and students who buy them and all the food and gear that go with them. The cycle of growing the next fanbase is critical in filling the Big House over time. When the AD alienates a future fan's season ticket-holding parents or treats the student section like unworthy punks, he's killing the fanatic desire of the program's future customers. And mediocre teams and empty stadiums don't exactly entice ESPN Game Day to your backyard, either.

These are just a few reasons I think people are wrong to fear the influence of Stephen Ross on the AD situation. I believe that Brandon and Hoke will lose their jobs eventually this year. The administration and the Regents value Michigan's reputation and traditions almost as much as its income. Almost. The idea that they would value one man's money over all other considerations is ridiculous to me, especially when so many other members of the Michigan family are screaming for change. 

So, I'm fairly certain that Stephen Ross will not be able to save Dave Brandon's job. Without a miracle, I doubt anyone could try and succeed. If he wants to hang with DB and plot to take over the world, perhaps they can ply Brandon's "If it ain't broke, break it" mantra seeking the governor's office in Lansing in 2018. He couldn't possibly screw up a whole state, could he? I know he'd get the Spartan vote.

The Michigan Man on the Field

The Michigan Man. In the world of Michigan Athletics, the now-famous label was born in 1989 during Bo Schembechler's term as Michigan's athletic director. Head men's basketball coach Bill Frieder had just accepted a new position as Arizona State's coach, but he was planning to finish the season and see the Wolverines through the NCAA tournament before departing Ann Arbor. Bo would have none of that and said the immortal words "A Michigan Man will coach Michigan, not an Arizona State man."  Frieder was sent packing immediately. 

Most people forget about the "...not an Arizona State man" part of that quote. The first phrase, however, has become Michigan legend and is probably second most famous of Bo's sayings behind "The Team" speech. A "Michigan Man" - for better or worse - has become the intangible, yet primary job requirement of any new hire to the Michigan football head coaching position. Sadly, I think it's being used in a manner that disrespects what Bo really meant by it that day in March 1989. It wasn't about having a history with Michigan Athletics. It wasn't about knowing the words to The Victors or understanding all the Michigan game day traditions. Anyone can learn and understand tradition without living it first if they're given a fair shot at it.

I think what Bo was really saying touched on integrity, honesty, and the commitment to the viability of the team (the team, the team) over the individual. That and a regular parade of raw, coachable talent fed Bo's winning teams. You can't coach or captain a team when your mind is on yourself and thinking of your own future endeavors. You can't motivate players or keep their trust and respect if they know you've already ditched them for greener pastures. I believe Bo fired Frieder immediately because he could no longer exemplify those ideals and lead the Wolverines with heart and soul while committed to another program. Schembechler put the team first and gave it the best shot it had to focus on practice and game play. And they took it all the way. Could they have done so if Bo allowed Frieder to stay? We'll never know.

When athletic director Dave Brandon fired Rich Rodriguez in 2010, much of the pressure he felt to do so was coming from alumni, donors, and former players who thought Rodriguez was not a "Michigan Man." He had no ties to U-M. No previous knowledge of Big House traditions or the Wolverines' style of play. His first season was abysmal (with Lloyd Carr's players), but each year, his team's records improved. (And have you seen what he's done now at Arizona?) Well, it was neither fast enough for fans nor traditional enough, and he was forced out to make way for the seemingly quintessential Michigan Man, I'd-Walk-to-Ann-Arbor Brady Hoke. Former Michigan assistant and part of the 1997 National Championship staff. Genuinely nice man. Ethical. Humble. Big lovable lug of a guy. It should've been the second coming of Bo. Right?

For whatever reason, Brady Hoke does not seem to be the true Michigan Man on the field. Or if he is, it proves that Michigan manhood is not the right criterion for the job. The good guy ideals appear to be there, but something is missing in his ability to lead and motivate these young men. He doesn't have it and neither do his high profile, high priced assistants. There is no development in some positions. No evidence of the "will to be great." The toughness and dedication in some players just isn't what it should be. We hear year after year after year that "we're young," "we're developing," and other coach-speak that you don't hear in other great programs like Alabama, OSU, Oregon, or even Michigan State. Great coaches don't need four years to bring a 5-star freshman to greatness. Great coaches find a way to start 3-star freshmen or sophomores, coach them up, and keep their dynasties rolling. There's no memory of success in this program to leave footsteps for the next class to follow.

I do think there's a Michigan Man on the field, but he's not on the sidelines unless the defense is playing. It's Devin Gardner. He takes a lot of flak from fans, including me, for getting sacked, throwing interceptions, and making questionable decisions at times. However, he stands behind a woeful offensive line and takes hit after hit, gets up, and goes back at it time and again. He plays over the pain. He never gives up. He never complains or points a finger at his teammates. He does what his coaches ask even when he may not agree with them. A leader on and off the field, Gardner has never been in trouble. He got his B.A. in 3 years and is now working on a Master's in Social Work. He's visible in the community, helping kids, motivating young people in need of a little encouragement. While the results on the field may not be what I wished for, I can't think of anyone else on the field this coming Saturday night who will better exemplify the values of being a Michigan man more than Devin Gardner. In spite of the team record, he's steadily climbing up the Michigan QB and Offensive individual stats lists, especially for career efficiency. He's 3rd behind #1 Elvis Grbac and #2 Jim Harbaugh. It sets me to wondering what he could have been with a classic Michigan offensive line and a coach (like #2 above?) who knew what to do with his athletic skills instead of wedging him like a square peg into a round hole.

Whether he'll make it in the NFL is anyone's guess. He won't be helped by the state of the team he's leading right now. Gardner will make it in the world, though, and he will be known as a Michigan Man who has a positive impact on those he touches through his life. He's a testament to his mother, his family, his early coaches, and his own personal drive and sense of honor. I can only hope the remainder of this season rewards him for his efforts and that the Michigan family remembers him kindly no matter how his final season comes to a close. I think Bo would have approved of this young man for staying and becoming a champion of a different kind.

Will Michigan Get Stuck in a Rut(gers) This Week?

I'll be the first to admit I was both astonished and angry when the Big Ten added Maryland and Rutgers to the fold and merged them into conference play this season. I didn't know much about the schools or their teams, but I couldn't see how they fit geographically or athletically. What on earth could it do to improve the stature of the already lowly Big Ten? I still think I'm seeing a mistake when the ESPN crawler posts upcoming B1G games and I see Rutgers and Maryland matchups scroll past. Ironically, the addition of Nebraska and Penn State never bothered me, mostly because I expected them to add quality competition (and some very pleasant fans) to the mix.

As I anticipate this weekend's first meeting between Rutgers and Michigan in Piscataway, New Jersey, I wish I could still look at the Scarlet Knights and think "easy win" or new conference "patsy".  I'm afraid I can't given what I've seen of Michigan football this year in addition to what I've learned about Rutgers, where college football was born in 1869.

Rutgers is currently 4-1, losing their only game to Penn State, 13-10. They do much of their scoring in the first half and are stingy with the ball. They don't turn it over often and when their opponents offer the ball up, the Scarlet Knights seize the gift, scoring 41 of their season-to-date 151 points off turnovers. Michigan, often a turnover machine, should be worried. Also, the Wolverines are 0-3 when they're behind at the half. The defense, ranked 9th nationally in total D, must keep the Scarlet Knights from racking up points early. The offense must do what it's had difficulty doing so far this year. Hold on to the ball. Make good choices.

Possibly the most concerning aspect of Rutgers is their pass rush. They currently lead the Big 10 with 21 sacks. If that doesn't set off some alarms in Ann Arbor, then the Wolverines and Devin Gardner are in for another in a series of very long days. Their Achilles heel is the offensive line. It's imperative that they show up and give Gardner and his targets time to make smart, unrushed plays.

Let's face it, taking on a more-than-respectable Rutgers team on the road is bad enough. Having to do so while a national media circus dances around you and your program will make it even tougher. I don't have a lot of sympathy for the plights of Dave Brandon or Brady Hoke right now. I don't like their nefarious night moves or the countless contradictions peppered in the transcripts of the "He said/Well, he said" game. 

I do, however, care for Team 135. I do believe they want to win and want to do it in the Michigan tradition. That's what they signed up for. Do they have what it takes? Maybe. Maybe not. Whether this Saturday ends in a W or an L, though, I will respect them for going out there play after play and trying. Kind of like Shane Morris did last week. It takes guts not to give up at this point. The pressure they are under must be indescribable. They deserve better than what they're getting right now from the adults surrounding them. 

And now, for a prediction I truly loathe putting into writing. My Michigan heart wants to kick my Michigan butt right now, but my well-educated Wolverine brain says: Rutgers 27, Michigan 21. (And I'm a little hopeful about the 21!)

Go Blue and prove me wrong!

Michigan Students, God Love'em

Although I've been unable to look away from the Michigan athletic train wreck this week, I must admit I'm not really in the mood to analyze the latest carefully crafted message from the administration, University President Dr. Mark Schlissel's press release about player safety and the Shane Morris affair. At the rate of 1.5 press releases per Michigan win, all within the last 4 days, I'm a bit burned out on it all. Let's just say it read almost exactly like I thought it would (meaning nothing like I hoped it would.) No major departure from the Brandon release, just a general commitment to implement the changes and recommendations outlined in the AD's statement earlier in the day. I was hoping for more than Schlissel's "extreme disappointment", but should have known no heads would roll today regardless of how many people begged for them on social and traditional media. A shiny new president is not going to jump rashly into action in a university arena he has little experience managing - athletics. I'm fairly certain the Brown Athletic Department and its AD never once troubled Brown's president. I can feel for Dr. Schlissel; he went from a place rather "chill" about major intercollegiate athletics into a frying pan of athletic passion when he came to Ann Arbor. The poor guy took office on the day the Brendan Gibbons story was at its peak and he hasn't had much of a reprieve from the distraction of Michigan sports since then.

The high point of this day for me actually came from the actions of Michigan's students. On Monday, the Michigan Daily called for the immediate firing of Brady Hoke. Students started online petitions to get Dave Brandon fired and within hours the petition, boldly hosted on an *.umich domain, had over 9,000 signatures. The students then used social media to quickly organize a Fire Brandon rally on the Diag that reportedly drew about 500 people and plenty of local and national media. After marching on the Diag, they moved to the steps of Dr. Schlissel's house and peacefully continued. It wasn't violent or ugly. No one was hurt. Nothing was set aflame. As one student tweeted:

How cool is that? Students, protesting to protect something they believe in. Fighting against something see as a threat to an institution they love and respect. Social media helped start the process and social media got them the attention they needed, but in all other ways, they did it just like their parents and grandparents did it "back in the day". Feet on the ground. Voices in the air. Gathering on the Diag. The cause is new. The methods more modern. But it was classic Michigan all the way. Those kids aren't glued to the couch playing Assassin's Creed. They do care about things and when it comes to Michigan Football, they know how important they are to the game day atmosphere now and to the bottom line later as alumni with families that form the next crop of season ticket holders and students. They reminded me of Apartheid shanties lining the Diag in the 1980s. They reminded me of how much I love the crazy place no matter how much I may hate the way it operates at times. 

The Wheels of the Bus Run Over Hoke...

At Brady Hoke's Monday press conference, he deferred answering questions about Shane Morris' health during and after the game by alluding to a forthcoming statement from medical experts that would answer everything. Media covering the ongoing drama in Ann Arbor waited. And waited. Ordered pizza. Fiddled with Twitter. Waited. And finally, just before 1:00 am, the university released a statement from Dave Brandon. (Who is not a medical expert, but surely wants to control the medical findings in the context of the rest of the he said/he said scenario of game day.)

Here are some quoted highlights and some reasons I believe this statement and its delay served only to make the entire program look more ridiculous and to begin the separation between Brandon and his coach. 

• "Following the game, a comprehensive concussion evaluation was completed and Shane has been evaluated twice since the game. As of Sunday, Shane was diagnosed with a probable, mild concussion, and a high ankle sprain." "Unfortunately, there was inadequate communication between our physicians and medical staff and Coach Hoke was not provided the updated diagnosis before making a public statement on Monday. This is another mistake that cannot occur again." So Hoke's own boss, with the program's reputation on the line, knew the results but didn't see the need to personally contact him Sunday or Monday morning before standing him in front of a wall of hungry reporters. He was relying on the doctors to call Hoke instead. The king of micromanagement delegated THAT decision to doctors? Unbelievable. I think Brandon willingly kept him in ignorance or worse, forced him to feign it, in order to give himself more time to line up the bus wheels over the appropriate bodies.
• "Ultimate responsibility for the health and safety of our student-athletes resides with each team's coach and with me, as the Director of Athletics. ...I have had numerous meetings since Sunday morning to thoroughly review the situation that occurred at Saturday's football game regarding student-athlete Shane Morris. I have met with those who were directly involved and who were responsible for managing Shane's care and determining his medical fitness for participation."  So, Brady Hoke is responsible for player safety and was on the field at the time of the incident, but Hoke says Brandon hadn't spoken to him about Shane Morris, coaching performance issues, or anything in over 48 hours after the game, a time-frame that certainly included any Sunday morning meetings held with those "responsible" for Shane's health and care. Like Hoke.
• "In my judgment, there was a serious lack of communication that led to confusion on the sideline." All of which would be lessened if the hub of game communications, the head coach, the man responsible and accountable for EVERYTHING could be troubled to wear a headset. At his presser, Hoke reiterated strongly that 'No!' he would not wear a headset. We'll see who wins that argument at the Rutgers game this weekend, eh? And how about game readiness and sideline player management? Should any player be so far from his helmet that he can't find it when an emergency calls him in to play? Russell Bellomy looked like a guy who woke up from a long nap when tapped to come in. The panic on his face at not being able to find his equipment mirrored the panic I saw all over the sidelines. Not having a player ever-ready contributed to Morris returning to the game when he clearly should not have done so.

While I still feel that Brady Hoke should probably lose his job over this and for just pure non-performance, I find myself feeling a little sympathy for him now. He's not a bad man. He's an affable, decent guy who I feel believes he's doing the right things. This job may be over his head, but it's hard to know since his boss has his hand on so many things, we can't tell how much Hoke is allowed to think and act on his own. What is clear, is that Brandon has fired up the bus and has thrown his coach, the team doctors, and everyone but himself under the wheels. With any luck, the bus will drive him out of town not long after he destroys those who report to him.

Crash Davis and the Art of a Brady Hoke Presser

Crash Davis: It's time to work on your interviews. 
Ebby Calvin LaLoosh: My interviews? What do I gotta do? 
Crash Davis: You're gonna have to learn your clichés. You're gonna have to study them, you're gonna have to know them. They're your friends. Write this down: "We gotta play it one day at a time." 
Ebby Calvin LaLoosh: Got to play... it's pretty boring. 
Crash Davis: 'Course it's boring, that's the point. Write it down.

I can't listen to a Brady Hoke press conference without this scene from the baseball movie Bull Durham running through my mind. I guess if this was a good season, where we were winning games and seeing the light in an improving Michigan program, I would hardly notice a Hoke presser. The light, however, is actually a dumpster fire and Brady Hoke and his boss, AD David Brandon, have definitely learned their clichés.

Cases in point, the Michigan/Minnesota post-game interview and today's regular meeting with the press. There was plenty to discuss and it warranted serious candor. The team was reeling from a sound thumping by Minnesota. The AD has been absorbed in controversy over lagging ticket sales, shady promotions, and the alienation of season ticket holders and students. And Hoke and his staff were being accused of negligence in not removing QB Shane Morris from the game after a violent late hit by a Minnesota DE left him visibly shaken and struggling to stand. Sports and news outlets across the country made this story spread like wildfire. Those covering the program regularly said a typical, less-than-forthcoming interview would hurt Hoke more than help. It was a time for honesty, explanations, and taking responsibility. No clichés.

And then this happened. The post-game interview was bloated with more meaningless babble, delusion, and improbability than a Match.com profile filled with the love of cuddly kittens and long walks at sunset. Hoke ticked off the checklist. Execute better (check). Work as a team (check). Fans have to understand how hard these kids work (check). They're good kids (check), like 115 sons to him (check). The goals are still there (check). They can still win the B1G title (check). WAIT! What? This is the exact moment my head exploded. When I knew I was no longer able to sustain even my waning support of this coach. It's important to think positively but when the butterflies and singing bluebirds flying around your head start to cloud your judgment, it's time to stop and think hard about your next comments. You just failed to defend the Little Brown Jug. You've amassed three losses before October, a first for the program which began when Rutherford B. Hayes was President. At worst, without providing evidence to the contrary, the nation thinks you put a concussed player back in the game. People wanted honest answers about what went wrong with the game plan and how the Morris situation unfolded. They wanted accountability. They got Ebby LaLoosh. "Gotta play 'em one day at a time..." 

Then Monday when everyone was expecting the final word on the Shane Morris questions, Hoke supplied little more than evasive, senseless quips while noting his entire focus now was getting ready for Rutgers. He was the perfect Hogan's Heroes Sergeant Schultz. "I know noooothing! I see nooooothing!"  He said a team of Michigan medical experts would release a report soon to explain it all, even though the report was not released until 1:00 am the next day by Brandon, not medical experts. The most laughable assertion of the presser was that Dave Brandon and Hoke had not once discussed the Shane Morris incident or any coaching performance issues in 48 hours or more since the game. The hands-on "You know I played here for Bo" Brandon who is on the sidelines during games and breaks down game film with coaches on Sunday had nothing to say to his coach about a growing PR nightmare? Not even to get their stories straight?  Ebby says "I'm just happy to be here and hope I can help the ball club. I just want to give it my best shot..." MGoGirl says BS!

This is a declining situation that hasn't seen the bottom yet. It will affect the program's future. For instance, Twitter reported a top recruit decommitted earlier on Monday. It would be surprising if others don't follow suit. Brandon and Hoke must end the PR debacle and get this team moving forward as those players and fans deserve. I hope that cool heads prevail and that the fix, if it involves firing and hiring processes, is implemented with a lot more thought than it has been in the past.  Ebby Calvin LaLoosh gets the last word "...and good Lord willing... things'll work out."

The state of Michigan Football has driven me to ... write.

Sigh. You thought I'd say "drink", didn't you? Well, (as Brady Hoke starts every sentence) they drove me to drink long ago.

Anyway, I've been told once or twice that I have quite a few strong opinions when it comes to sports in general, but University of Michigan sports in particular. My Michigan friends, friendly rivals, and I trade wickedly crafted posts and comments on Facebook and Twitter regularly. Trash talking over rivalries. Basking in athletic glories. Skewering those who demean that which we hold dear. The rest of our friends and followers sit back and watch us go at it. I'm a Michigan alum, but not a head-in-the-sand Michigan loyalist, preferring to call it as I see it if I think it needs to be said. Often, our social media rants venture into detailed, fact-based analysis. More often than not, they launch into the type of sanity-saving humor that long suffering Michigan football fans need to survive the dark ages in which they live. 

More than once I've been told "You should really have your own blog!" I think about it, get excited for a moment about the prospect, then go grab a beer, get back to watching the game, and don't think about it again until the next friendly prompt.

It's time to take up that suggestion! The current state of Michigan Football, their Athletic Director Dave Brandon, and the culmination of years of relentless disappointment have finally moved me to words beyond the boundaries of Twitter's 140 characters. And I'm sure I have Facebook friends who would be happy not to see my thoughtful insights before, during, and after every soul-sucking game. 

I've never done a blog before and will be learning as I go. What it won't be is just another #Fire[insert current coach's name] bitch session. It's easy to stumble (like an injured quarterback) into that right now, but that's not all I think about. What it will be is about University of Michigan sports, their rivals, and a little about my favorite Detroit teams -- the Tigers, Lions, and Red Wings -- as well. The good, the bad, and the ugly. With any luck, the future will hold a lot more of the good than our today holds of the ugly. 

Go Blue!